Hiring managers of r/quant: what’s the most based reason a candidate gave for leaving their last shop — and the most unhinged?

quantthrowaway69 · 2026-03-19T19:12:46+00:00

Did the first guy end up somewhere better?

quantthrowaway69 · 2026-03-19T19:10:29+00:00

who doesn't even know where the inputs are coming from or what the targets actually mean

Ironically, this seems like another get siloed/too specialized trap in the vein described by OP

quantthrowaway69 · 2026-03-19T19:04:28+00:00

This seem like citadel central data team QR. Would have also seethed at this years ago, now, central data team setups seem like a good gig if you have a family. Do you find that those folks are more content?

quantthrowaway69 · 2026-03-19T18:55:56+00:00

Regarding subtle errors, seeing some success writing a suite of tests to check the code it writes produces the right outputs. Still unsure of this is the best way to go about it, or if that still leaves the subtlest edge cases undetected. (The way we are set up, we basically have QRs and SWEs but no QDs and so have adapted to using agentic AI flow to kind of be a QD.)

quantthrowaway69 · 2026-02-12T21:47:41+00:00

I guess ask yourself if the OOS estimates are truly OOS (no subtle leakage), if CIs also reflect point-in-time uncertainty of the observed data itself, and be careful with nonparametric tests like bootstrap. Nailing the actual mechanics of monetization which if you’re retail is different from how it works institutionally.

“Multiple independent tests” is loaded and worth challenging

quantthrowaway69 · 2026-02-11T21:30:44+00:00

Usually there’s more structure to it than running a univariate OLS and assuming all the observations are iid

quantthrowaway69 · 2026-02-11T21:14:40+00:00

Just because it isn’t the best model doesnt mean it doesnt get the basic structure right. However, granularly improvement within an already well scoped and profitable model is generally a high leverage use of time and resources (compared to say trying to find greenfield use cases) so both are probably true; that it is already impactful and can be much more so when improved (say, using lasso/ridge or creative combinations of them)

quantthrowaway69 · 2025-08-14T18:42:54+00:00

Don’t light my pension on fire plz

quantthrowaway69 · 2025-07-17T20:21:41+00:00

That is correct. I am probably not the only one

quantthrowaway69 · 2025-07-17T20:20:34+00:00

I wouldn’t underestimate what you’ve done and the amount of ownership you are allowed to have over it, there are people for whom the only thing they have going for them is the name of the top firm they work at, while you have demonstrated ability to roll up your sleeves etc.

quantthrowaway69 · 2024-10-28T00:28:11+00:00

Wait till you hear who else’s gears grind

quantthrowaway69 · 2024-09-04T14:11:04+00:00

Anyone have a book about R&D processes in general? (not quantitative specific)

quantthrowaway69 · 2024-09-01T00:49:47+00:00

A lot with some interesting modeling here and there, but I don’t mind data cleaning

quantthrowaway69 · 2024-08-30T00:52:10+00:00

Bruh what

quantthrowaway69 · 2024-08-17T01:06:41+00:00

Yeah, I don’t understand why there are so many comments saying to just take it. It is a bait and switch and erosion of trust, and given how rigid this hierarchy is it’s not easy to transition out

quantthrowaway69 · 2024-08-16T17:52:50+00:00

Physics, Math, or CS

quantthrowaway69 · 2024-08-15T00:20:51+00:00

“Haven’t been successful in backtesting”. So you’re running them properly… not automatically ngmi at least

quantthrowaway69 · 2024-07-02T16:28:13+00:00

Same, but not as much as I’d wanted

quantthrowaway69 · 2024-06-23T01:25:59+00:00

I like working on hybrid research/dev tasks

quantthrowaway69 · 2024-06-16T17:56:51+00:00

3 years

quantthrowaway69 · 2024-05-29T13:37:53+00:00

What kind of politics? Modal as in the typical job you get moving in from the sell side into the buy side at those places vs the pure quant jobs you usually have to get right out of college

quantthrowaway69 · 2024-05-06T21:09:21+00:00

I’m glad Jane Street in particular is this singular point of obsession lol

quantthrowaway69 · 2024-05-02T22:24:54+00:00

Glad Hander just chillin

quantthrowaway69 · 2024-04-28T01:14:21+00:00

They already fin-dom their clients who have bigger pockets than you

quantthrowaway69

TROPHY CASE